Your Guide to Legit CBDHow to Avoid Getting Scammed

There's a reason cannabidiol (CBD) is becoming a ubiquitous product nationwide. At the end of last year, health authorities removed hemp, a species of cannabis that doesn't contain psychoactive qualities from the controlled substance list, meaning the plant is no longer considered illegal under federal law. Since most CBD products are derived from hemp, that change meant new products could flood the market. And they did.

The CBD and cannabis market research firm Brightfield Group says the market for hemp-derived CBD products was about $591 million in 2018 and is on pace to grow into a $22 billion market by 2022.

You can now buy CBD-laced cookies at bakeries and CBD face masks at the pharmacy. It's sold as tinctures at farmers markets and bougie wellness boutiques and infused into cocktails at bars. Walgreens and CVS announced in March they will begin selling CBD sprays, creams, and patches at hundreds of their stores.

â€œThere are a million different products that didn't exist a year ago," says Anja Charbonneau, the founder and creative director of Broccoli, a print magazine focused on cannabis culture.

CBD is closely related to another active phytocannabinoid, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), and there's evidence it could provide relief for a range of conditions, including anxiety, insomnia, chronic pain, and arthritis. Could is the key word. "The enthusiasm for CBD has outpaced the hardcore scientific evidence in humans," says Dr. Peter Grinspoon, a primary care physician in the Boston area.

Preliminary research and ample anecdotal evidence suggest CBD may tamper down inflammation in the body and quell anxiety, but randomized clinical trials studying the health benefits of CBD in humans are few and far between. That hasn't stopped companies from connecting the dots anyway. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) sent warning letters in April to three companies: Advanced Spine and Pain LLC, Nutra Pure LLC, and PotNetwork Holdings Inc. for falsely claiming their products could cure cancer, neurodegenerative conditions, autoimmune diseases, and opioid use disorder.

There's evidence CBD could provide relief for a range of conditions, including anxiety, insomnia, chronic pain, and arthritis. Could is the key word.

The wider the disconnect grows between vertiginous expectations and science-backed evidence, the higher the probability that CBD will disappoint. The compound is being painted as a cure-all, says Jason DeLand, an advertising executive and the co-founder of Dosist, which makes vapes with CBD and THC. â€œItâ€™s not.â€

Which isn' to say you shouldn't try it. As chemical compounds go, pure CBD is relatively safe. According to the World Health Organization, CBD does not appear to have abuse potential or cause harm.

Here's a guide to navigating the CBD market without getting scammed.

What CBD is actually good forThe literature on CBD's effects on humans is sparse. That's largely because studying cannabis remains a major challenge. While hemp-derived CBD is legal, cannabis remains a Schedule 1 drug, which means the U.S. government restricts its availability for research.

The FDA has only approved one drug derived from CBD. Epidiolex from GW Pharmaceuticals was approved in June 2018 to treat rare and severe forms of epilepsy. GW Pharmaceuticals is working on cannabinoid-based treatments for a range of other conditions, including epilepsy, autism, and schizophrenia.

The way CBD could be effective for these conditions is how it binds to receptors in the endocannabinoid system -- a network in the brain involved in the regulation of functions such as mood, pain, inflammation, and movement -- without producing a high. That's the working theory for now, even though hard evidence is scant.

"It depends on what you consider as evidence," says Grinspoon. "A lot of people swear by it and say it helps them with sleep, anxiety, and pain."

But there is little clinical evidence to back up these anecdotes. While research on animals suggests CBD could be beneficial for anxiety, sleep, pain, and addiction, results in animals donâ€™t always translate to results in humans.

Drew Todd, one of the co-founders of the CBD startup Feals, says his company conducted a survey of 5,000 people about their product and amassed plenty of anecdotal evidence that CBD was helping his customers. "If you have anxiety, that feeling of anxiety isn't there anymore," he says. "Same for pain or inflammation." On its site, the company describes its CBD tinctures as "œhelping people manage anxiety, pain, and sleeplessness."

Now that hemp-derived CBD is legal, Todd says he's optimistic the company's marketing will be backed up by clinical research. And according to Grinspoon, such studies are underway. Research into the long-term effects of CBD will have a longer lag time, however.

What to look out forUnlike marijuana-based products -- which are subject to state regulations that often require laboratory testing -- hemp-derived CBD has little oversight, leaving the onus on the customer. Federal health officials released a report in 2018 that showed 52 people were sickened with nausea and seizures in Utah over a four-month period from synthetic products that were falsely labeled as CBD.

Charbonneau, the editor of the cannabis magazine, advises online shoppers to start by visiting companies' "About" pages on their websites and reading up on them with an eye for information about their farm, where the product is coming from, and who is growing the plant.

Products ideally should list on the label the exact amount of CBD as well as a breakdown of any other ingredients. Cannabis plants can absorb heavy metals and pesticides through soil and water; they also might contain THC or other unknown substances. In a 2017 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, researchers purchased and tested 84 CBD products sold online and found that 26 percent contained less CBD than labeled.

Grinspoon recommends only purchasing CBD products from companies that verify the purity of their products through an independent lab and can provide a certificate of analysis detailing the results.

If you're interested in trying the compound, your best bet is careful experimentation.

If you're purchasing CBD from a store or coffee shop, ask questions, says Raeven Duckett, co-founder of Community Gardens, a cannabis dispensary in Oakland, California. "The people who are serving it to you should be able to tell you that or direct you on where you can find it."

If you live in a state where cannabis is legal, Duckett recommends visiting a licensed dispensary because most have regulations around quality control in place. "Budtenders are usually pretty knowledgeable about the CBD products carried in their store," she says.

What form to take itIf you're looking to try CBD, there's a dizzying array of options to choose from, including vapes, joints, gummies, chocolate, tinctures, face masks, and infused lattes.

Inhaling CBD is the fastest-acting, according to those familiar with the products, and oil tinctures are a close second. Diluting a tincture by adding it to food or a drink will likely increase the onset period. CBD-only gummies as well as gummies with a high CBD-to-THC ratio are also popular ways to ingest CBD. In general, Duckett says CBD that's ingested via edibles takes about 90 minutes to activate.

There's also a suite of topical CBD products, including soaps, face masks, and creams. Unlike the other forms of CBD, topicals aren't absorbed into the bloodstream. Instead, they work by binding to cannabinoid receptors receptors in the skin. While less risky than the other methods, it's still a good idea to verify that these products contain the amount of CBD they say they do.

How much to take at a timeUnfortunately it's hard to get granular on how high to go; the research on dosing is slim. Experts advise to start with a dose of CBD of around five milligrams or less and slowly work up from there because, like coffee and alcohol, CBD affects everyone differently.

Very high doses are often used in animal studies, says Grinspoon, the Boston-area physician. This is also true in the limited published research on humans. One small study found that 300 milligrams of CBD outperformed a placebo in treating anxiety, and an ongoing study on CBD's effects on anxiety has people taking up to 800 milligrams a day. Both studies have small sample sizes, and without knowing the long-term side effects of CBD, taking anything approaching that amount is likely unwise.

What to know about the health risksCBD is nonpsychoactive and nonaddictive, and there is no "abuse liability," says Sumner Burstein, a professor emeritus of biochemistry and molecular pharmacology at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. However, there is evidence CBD affects the way the body metabolizes drugs, which could alter the effects of other medications, like blood thinners. It may be worthwhile to mention to your doctor that you're taking CBD.

Like coffee and alcohol, CBD affects everyone differently.

The bottom lineSince CBD is relatively benign and there's a dearth of scientific-backed advice on dosage, if you're interested in trying the compound, your best bet is careful experimentation.

It's also wise to temper your expectations. If it helps relieve pain, anxiety, insomnia, or any of the other conditions people use it to treat, that's great. But experts are skeptical that CBD can actually get rid of any of these health problems on its own.

Grinspoon says CBD offers exciting potential, particularly given how safe it appears to be and especially compared with other available treatments for anxiety, insomnia, and pain. "I'm very eager for the science to catch up," he says.

]]>
https://www.puredropcbd.com/blogs/news/does-cbd-work-for-pain-relief2019-03-05T01:43:00-06:002019-04-24T17:58:05-05:00Does CBD Work for Pain Relief?Ashok MehtaMore]]>
While the scientific research behind CBD for pain relief is still lacking, what we do know is very promising. Believe it or not, marijuana has been used to treat pain as far back as 2900 B.C. More recently, scientists have started to discover that specific compounds found in marijuana, including CBD, are to thank for its pain-relieving effects. You can find some of the best CBD oil for sale at Premium Jane.

CBD is found in big quantities in the cannabis plant. Both CBD and THC (another cannabinoid that is found in large quantities) have incredible effects on the body that rival even the most well-recognized and powerful pharmaceuticals on the market. However, while THC alters the mind and induces feelings of euphoria (due to its psychoactive effects), CBD doesn’t have any such psychoactive properties.

Over the last few years, the popularity of CBD has expanded dramatically. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved CBD for the treatment of two severe forms of epilepsy, which makes it the first marijuana-derived drug to be approved at a federal level. One of the reasons that society has taken so well to CBD is because it doesn’t have any psychoactive effects. Essentially, you can enjoy all the therapeutic benefits of cannabis without getting high.

So what is the verdict on CBD for pain relief? Let’s look at how it works, what the research says, as well as some personal accounts from those who have tried it.

How CBD Works to Relieve PainHumans, as well as many animals on earth, have a biological system that is known as the endocannabinoid system (ECS). The ECS has many cannabinoid receptors that can be found throughout the body, including the immune system, spinal cord, and brain. This is the system that helps to regulate various bodily functions like an immune response, sleep, and pain.

CBD interacts with receptors in the ECS indirectly and sustains various outcomes. For example, CBD can stop the body from absorbing anandamide, which is the compound that is associated with regulating pain. This is how CBD can reduce the amount of pain that a person feels, as well as inflammation – which is an underlying cause of various painful conditions.

Many studies suggest that how CBD works to relieve pain all comes down to the brain. Essentially it boils down to neurotransmitters in the brain. One theory is that it desensitizes a certain receptor that is known to be involved in pain – the TRPV1. This is the receptor that creates a kind of burning sensation of pain that you could feel from something like nerve damage. This is one particular type of pain that CBD could affect, and one which researchers are trying to learn more about.

Ultimately, because CBD interacts with receptors in the brain, it is able to improve the pain management system. This means that by reducing inflammation, CBD helps to lessen the pain itself. The great thing about CBD is that you can continuously use it for pain and not be at risk of building up a tolerance for it. In other words, CBD offers a long-term solution to a long-term problem. There isn’t need to keep increasing the dosage amount or look around for new types of medications that might work better. This makes CBD an effective treatment option for all sorts of pain, including chronic pain and conditions like arthritis.

What the Research Says...There is plenty of anecdotal proof when it comes to CBD and pain relief. Thus researchers have often focused on figuring out if that’s because of the placebo effect, says Rebecca M. Craft, professor of psychology and the director of the Experimental Psychology Doctoral Program at Washington State University.

The US National Library of Medicine currently lists only 25 studies involving CBD and the effects that it has on pain. To date, only a few of these have been completed, but more are in the works. Many of these trials explore pain in people who are suffering from advanced cancer, and while some studies show very positive results, there are those that suggest that cannabis treatment doesn’t offer any more relief than a placebo. The catch is that most of these studies involve both CBD and THC.

There are a few other snags to CBD studies. First and foremost, many CBD studies involve rats rather than humans. Scientists have already proven that CBD is effective in treating rare forms of epilepsy, but there haven’t been many human studies looking into if and how exactly it works to manage pain. But, various animal studies have given hints. For one, a rodent study that was published in the European Journal of Pain found that topical CBD helped to lower arthritis-related inflammation and pain.

In addition, in a recent study that was published in the journal Pain, Dr. Gabriella Gobbi and colleagues stated that low-dose CBD could be effective in reducing anxiety and pain by interfering with a neurotransmitter that is linked to both. Blair, who served in the first Gulf War as an Army Combat physician, says that there could be 150 mechanisms through which CBD is able to work in the body.

Personal Experiences with CBD and Pain ReliefKyle Wright is a 31-year old from New York who was used to living in pain brought on by decades-old sports injuries contended with shoulder and backaches triggered by mild scoliosis. His life changed at a street fair in Denver when he was offered a sample of CBD lotion and was left amazed at how effective it was in treating his pain. He says that about 15 minutes after applying the lotion, it felt as though the tension had evaporated through his skin.

He now uses the lotion regularly, about twice a week, and applies it to his shoulders, wrists, neck, and back. These are all areas that crave attention after long days spent behind the computer screen.

But, Wright isn’t the only one praising the effects of CBD. The Brightfield Group (cannabis market research company), projects that the industry will reach $22 billion by the year 2022. This is thanks to people like Daisy Testa, a 31-year old academic counselor in Chicago who swears by CBD for stress relief, and it’s associated neck pain. Danielle Jenkins is a 29-year old from Telluride who says that a topical CBD product was the only thing that helped in the treatment of certain leg muscles in the thigh that occurred after a hockey injury. A film producer in San Francisco, Mitchell Roth, has gone as far as to credit CBD for ending his wife’s opioid addiction, which she was originally using to manage pain related to endometriosis.

At the end of the day, nothing speaks louder than personal experiences when it comes to the effects of CBD. While scientific research is lacking, it is clear that many people are benefiting from the use of CBD for combatting pain.

Final Thoughts on CBD for Pain ReliefThere’s no denying that a lot more research needs to be done to verify exactly how CBD works for pain relief. However, there are many people who can testify to its effects and how it has helped them to overcome various levels of pain. Of course, it all comes down to what type of pain you experience, and what your medical condition is, among other things.

At the end of the day, what works for one person may not necessarily work for you. But, it’s inexpensive, safe to use, and comes with minimal side effects. So, if you’re suffering from any sort of pain, there’s no harm in giving CBD a try.

]]>
https://www.puredropcbd.com/blogs/news/cbd-oil-and-parkinson-s-disease2019-02-25T19:57:00-06:002019-04-24T16:28:51-05:00CBD Oil and Parkinson’s Disease (with video)Ashok Mehta
Cannabis is the most widely used recreational drug worldwide, with many variants that have been used both medicinally in the treatment or management of various diseases, including chronic pain, as well as being used recreationally to achieve a high.

Recently, Canada became the first major western country after Uruguay to legalize marijuana/cannabis for recreational and medicinal use and cultivation. The United Kingdom has now made an exception for medicinal cannabis in the treatment of severe epilepsy, chemotherapy-related illness and multiple sclerosis, while still retaining a Class B illegal status for recreational usage (possession and distribution).

What is CBD oil?Medical cannabis is often sold as cannabidiol (CBD) oil. It is a major cannabinoid from hemp plants. However, CBD oil does not usually contain tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) which is the main psychoactive substance of cannabis. Dried cannabis can also be sold in some countries/states as medical marijuana, and often produces the full effects of cannabis.

The brain has a rich expression of cannabinoid receptors in various sites, such as the G-protein coupled receptor GPR6 within the basal ganglia (a key part of the brain affected by Parkinson’s). Studies investigating the oral intake of CBD oil (and smoking cannabis) in the treatment of Parkinsonian symptoms have observed generally positive results.

One observational study reported rapid alleviation of Parkinsonian symptoms (including bradykinesia and tremor) upon cannabis smoke inhalation (CBD + THC) in around 79% of patients (out of 28). In another study, 56% of a small cohort of patients showed improvement in mood and sleep issues.

In a larger study of 339 Czech patients with Parkinson’s who were routinely using cannabis leaves orally (CBD + THC), there was significant improvement in resting tremors, bradykinesia and rigidity with little or no side effects overall. Symptoms were ameliorated particularly in patients who had been using cannabis for over 3 or more months.

Studies focusing on the use of CBD oil alone show mixed results. One study showed that oral CBD oil reduced psychotic symptoms in Parkinson’s patients, but with little effect on dyskinesia. However, it produced generic improvement in physical state as well as in insomnia-related issues. Larger studies are necessary to confirm these findings, however, as these studies had a relatively small sample size (<20).

SummaryCannabis has many proven beneficial effects on health, especially in neurology and psychiatry. More research is desperately needed to convince governments to legalize medicinal cannabis for treatment purposes, following Canada’s example)

Nnumerous observational studies have reported improvement in symptoms with the use of CBD oil by patients with Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and MS patients. However, some studies have questioned the efficacy of CBD oil alone, or if THC, linalool and limonene extracts should also be incorporated in the specific treatment of these conditions, such as for neuroprotection.

Unlike THC, CBD oil alone does not show the psychoactive properties of cannabis. For this reason THC must be administered in a careful and controlled way. Unfortunately, as long as cannabis remains a controlled drug under most international laws, research is hampered and the stigma associated with it remains. It is an encouraging sign in the UK that the use of medicinal CBD oil is now allowed for the most severe cases, but the law needs to move to full decriminalization to allow the use of THC oil as well, and to encourage more investment in medical research on the effects of cannabis on health.

]]>
https://www.puredropcbd.com/blogs/news/safe-cannabis-pain-relief-without-the-high2019-02-14T18:40:00-06:002019-04-24T16:30:11-05:00Safe cannabis pain relief without the “high”Ashok MehtaEncouraging news for chronic pain sufferers by pinpointing the effective dose of marijuana plant extract cannabidiol (CBD) for safe pain relief without the typical "high" or euphoria produced by the THC.

In the wake of cannabis legalization, a team of scientists at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) and McGill University have delivered encouraging news for chronic pain sufferers by pinpointing the effective dose of marijuana plant extract cannabidiol (CBD) for safe pain relief without the typical "high" or euphoria produced by the THC.

The findings of their study have been published in the journal PAIN.

Cannabis indica and sativa are the two main cannabis strains that produce the pharmacological principles known as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD).Dr. Gabriella Gobbiâ€™s team demonstrated that CBD does not act on the CB1 cannabinoid receptors like THC, but through the mechanism that binds specific receptors involved in anxiety (serotonin 5-HT1A) and pain (vanilloid TRPV1). Researchers were able to extrapolate the exact dosage of CBD displayinganalgesic and antianxiety properties without the risk of addiction and euphoria classically produced by the THC.

"In animal models of neuropathic or chronic pain, we found that low doses of CBD administered for seven days alleviate both pain and anxiety, two symptoms often associated", says first author of the study Danilo De Gregorio, a post-doctoral fellow at McGill University in Dr. Gobbi's laboratory.

Lead author Dr. Gobbi, a researcher in the Brain Repair and Integrative Neuroscience (BRaIN) Program of the RI-MUHC, sees this as advancement for the evidence-based application of cannabis in medicine with CBD likely offering a safe alternative to THC and opioids for chronic pain, such as back pain, sciatica, diabetic, cancer or post-trauma pain.

"Our findings elucidate the mechanism of action of CBD and show that it can be used as medicine without the dangerous side effects of the THC", says Dr. Gobbi, who is also Professor of Psychiatry at the Faculty of Medicine at McGill University and staff psychiatrist at the MUHC. "This research is a new advancement for an evidence-based application of cannabis in medicine."

Despite widespread public usage, little clinical studies exist on CBD, which became legal in Canada on October 17, 2018, following the passage of Canada's Cannabis Act.

"There is a few data showing that CBD provides pain relief for humans but more robust clinical trials are needed", says Dr. Gobbi, a recent grant recipient for her study of the pharmalogical effects of CBD.